THE CROPS SOUTH OF THE RAKAIA.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2711, 15 December 1882, Page 4

THE CROPS SOUTH OF THE RAKAIA.

[EROM OTJB SPECIAL REPORTER.]

While travelling during the past plough- ! ing season through tho various districts south of the Eakaia river, as far as Waimate, I was struck with the enormous progress that was being made in the various centres of population, as well as with the many signs of bucolic thrift and enterprise observable in many of the country, and consequently more sparsely populated, districts. Single, double, and three furrow ploughs were to be seen at work in all directions, and a large acreage of tussock and other land was being broken up with a view of sowing it down to English grasses, cereal, or root crop 3, xud the total area to be "brought under cultivation this season promised to be greatly in excess of that of any previous year in the history of New Zealand, and I have no doubt that when the xisual statistics are to hand what has just been alluded to will be amply verified. Daring the spring and summer, so far as it has gone, I have had occasion to retrace my steps over many parts of the districts I some months since saw under the plough, and the changes in the appearance of the country is something marvellous. Through the Chertsey, Eakaia, and Methven districts the wheat and oat crops are looking remarkably healthy, and there is every promise of a most bountiful harvest. Many paddocks of wheat are now ■well in ear, and standing three and four feet high, and as level and even as a well kept lawn. Between the Eakaia and Methven townships there are several splendid looking paddocks of oats that promise a very large yield, while through the Alford Forest and Mount Somers districts, the wheat and oat crops, though a little late on the newly broken land, are showing signs of returning a good profitable yield. However, neither the Alford Forest nor Mount Somers districts can yet be classed with the principal ■wheat growing district of Canterbury; but they have some good wool producing sheep, enough splendid building stone to construct a modern London, and also plenty of good useful coal. Firewood the Alford Forest people possess in -great abundance, and in addition to this there is an extensive forest, containing unknown quantities of splendid "birch and pine trees. The opinion has often been expressed that the "Forest" will soon be worked out, but one good ramble through the district would be quite sufficient to dispel this illusion from the mind of the greatest sceptic. Though, as I hinted above, the Mount Somers and Alford Forest districts are not yet noted for grain growing, still crops of a very profitable nature are occasionally raised in various parts of the district. For instance, Mr Andrew McFarlane, well known as a most hospitable and true hearted Scotchman, and who has taken up his residence in a cosy little nook at the head of the north branch of the Ashburton river, last year broke up a few acres of new land on his farm, and at harvest time threshed out a crop of oats yielding sixty bushels to the acre, and this after the corn had been subjected to the baneful influences of a three days' howling nor'-wester. The crop was raised from seed sown in what is known in the bucolic world as the first Jurrow. A visit to the district at this time of the year will well repay any one. If he meets with nothing particularly striking or interesting, he can call at J. Hood's Hotel at Mount Somers, and from thence go across the south brach of the Ashburton river to the Hon. W. S. Peter's atone quarry, close to one of the headworks of the County Co>mcil's water races. Here the stone is being quarried for building -the Union Bank at Christchurch. It is blasted out of the hill side in immense blocks, and last week, shortly after the fuse had been applied, a most gigantic block came rolling down. There was nearly enough stone in this enormous mass to build the whole bank, but it was not in the pink of perfection, and was condemned as being of the wrong color. The stone still lies there, and it is well worth a visit to see it alone. On my return trip I paid a visit to Mr B. Ede's farm, and that gentleman kindly volunteered to drive me back through the Ashburton Forks district, and here the crop 3 of grass feed, clover, wheat, and oats were fairly astonishing. Paddock after paddock, and not small ones either, of splendidly even and healthylooking wheat, all bursting into full ear, and oats standing 4ft high, with heads of corn a foot in length, were met with all along the route, probably those promising the largest yield beiug on land belonging to Mr J. Good and Mr O'Shea, of the Ashburton Forks. One of the paddocks -belonging to Mr O'Shea contains the fourth successive crop of oats, and already he estimates this year's yield to exceed sixty bushels, providing the dreaded nor'westers are fairly lenient at harvest time, and judging by the forward appearance of many of the crops the reapers and binders will be at work shortly after the commencement of the new year. For the past week or so many a new reaper and binder, and also a number of grass seed strippers, have been finding their way into the district, and there is every probability of the merits of each machine being put to an abundant test during the ensuing three months. The weather generally throughout the Eakaia and Ashburton districts has been most favorable to the crops. A few scorching hot days have been experienced, but up to the present there has been plenty of moisture, and the hopes of the farming community are decidedly in the ascendant. .In addition to the crops in the districts already noticed, the cereals all through the Wakanui, Ashton, Flemington and Longbeach districts are well forward, and promise a good handsome xeturn on the farmers* outlay of labor and capital; whilst further south, away round Orari, Geraldine, Winchester and Ternuka, there should be some very heavy yields, and many of the farmers tell me that, as far as nature herself is concerned—she takes no cognisance of liens—the country generally never wore a brighter aspect, and there was never a greater promise of an abundant harvest than ■exists at the present time. Much has already been done, and is still being done in the way of tree planting, and in the course of a few years the numerous plantations and belts,, of trees now to be seen growing up on many parts of the plains will do much towards protecting the ripe grain from the ravages of the north-west winds, as well as relieve the present monotonous appearance of the country directly one gets away from any of the homesteads.

While there is every promise of a plentiful cereal harvest, the majority of the root crops are looking "well, and as to grass feed, it has never been found in greater abundance than during the present season. Sheep and cattle have been able to feast to their hearts' content, the condition of the latter, as the 'wool has been taken off their backs, being in the majority of instances unusually good, especially where the flocks are composed of animals of a healthy constitution. This season I notice that many of the farmers are turning their attention more to hay making than has hitherto been the case, and during the past fortnight I have seen many huge paddocks of grass ready for the scythe or mowing machine, one or two notable instances being in the Ashburton Forks district.

In the Wakanui and Longbeaeh districts farmers are devoting a greater amount of attention than formerly to grazing, and the seed sown broadcast through the -country by Mr Bowron, of cheese and butter fame, during his lecturing tour, is already bearing fruit. Some time ago Mr Bowron told the Flemington farmers that he had seen no part of the colony that was more favourable for growing grass than the country surrounding the premises of the Ashburton Cheese and Butter Factory, and this week he has been tickling the ears and cheering the hearts of the "Wakanui farmers by a similarly flattering tale, the result being that the Wakanuites are now agitating for a factory for the wholesale manufacture of cheese and butter, and are xesolved to keep an eye on the rise and fall of the dairy produce market with a view of arriving at some definite conclusion as to "whether it would be wise to grow grass and buy cows, or continue to feed the sparrows on the fine crop 3 of wheat and oats year after year raised in the district. They have already abandoned the sparrow, and are resolved in future to leave this sociable

and brave little colonist to his own devices'] The Wakanui Sparrow Club became defunct on Saturday last, and in one district at least the small birds will be able to fly triumphant and feast on the corn without molestation.

The farmers at Willowby ore also agitating for a cheese and butter factory, but they unfortunately held their meeting on the same evening as the Wakanui people held theirs, and consequently they had not the advantage of Mr Bowron's eloquence and practical advice on the subject of cheese and butter and dairy farming generally. Doubtless Mr Bowron may yet visit Willowby, and perhaps he will then discover and inform the residents that their part of the country is also the most favorable he has yet seen for grazing purposes, and that in no other district will the blades of grass more quickly turn into ingots of gold than at Willowby. Mr Bowron, however, is a thoroughly practical man, and whatever advice he may give is sure to be reliable and well worthy the serious consideration of any farming community.